Personal flotation devices for use with water sports are known in the art and have been used for some time. Typically such devices include a buoyant body portion and straps and buckles for securing the device on the wearer. Personal flotation devices have also been specifically designed for use by individuals operating a sailboat or a sailboard. Some of these devices include a hook at the front of the device for attachment to the line of the sailboat and sailboard. When an individual wears the device and hooks it to the line, the individual can lean back and be supported by the tension and strength of the line.
In particular, the sport of sailboarding can involve the constant use of the sailboard operator's arms and hands to maintain the correct position of the sail. Particularly when sailing over long distances and in strong winds, the operator's shoulders, arms, wrists and hands can become extremely fatigued or even strained from the raised position in which they are held, and from the continual stress resulting from the pull of the sail.
When the personal flotation device of this invention is attached to a line of the sailboard, the operator can then use his body to maintain the position of the sail, and thus have his arms free, relieving the constant tension and pull which they would normally experience. Prior art devices such as the Mustang Floater.RTM. SeaHorse series.TM. Windsail Vest personal flotation device, by Mustang Sportswear Inc. of British Columbia, Canada and a personal flotation device manufactured by Stan Louden Products Ltd., Toronto, Canada are both examples of a flotation device having a hook member for attachment to a line. However, both devices are uncomfortable to wear when the line is attached to the hook and the wearer is leaning back as desired. First, because different wearers vary greatly in size, shape, and weight distribution, the hook member is not generally positioned in the most comfortable location. It may be too high or too low on the chest of the individual to be comfortable. Additionally, when the individual leans back, the point of attachment to the line may not be positioned with respect to his body to optimize his balance and support him properly.
It is also important that a flotation device used for sailboarding be easy to remove. Sailboards frequently tip over and even when they don't, the operators are often flipped from the sailboard. The personal flotation device can become entangled with the sailboard, particularly in view of the hook, and it can be critical that the wearer disengage himself quickly and easily from the device. The Mustang and the Stan Louden devices both require two hands for a relatively quick release. The prior art devices, including the Mustang and Louden devices, generally lack the ability to be easily and quickly released with one hand alone.
Some prior art devices such as the Stan Louden vest have straps or portions of straps incorporated on the inside of the vest where they can come in contact with the wear's skin. This can cause considerable discomfort because of the abrasive quality of the straps. Skin abrasions can easily occur with the use of such prior art devices. Even straps on the outside of prior art vests can cause discomfort to the wearer by pressing or cutting into the individual, particularly at high wind speeds where there is considerable stress or force on the individual as he leans back away from the line. These strap systems also generally fail to provide adequate support for comfort and balance in strong winds.
Prior art devices can also be overly bulky and uncomfortable due to the inclusion of buoyant material such as foam around substantially the entire circumference of the device. Such bulk can be particularly uncomfortable and restricting at an individual's sides where it can interfere with movement of the arms, particularly when the arms are in a lowered position. The bulk can become an even greater problem when the device is adjusted to fit the individual, for example, when straps are tightened around the device for a proper fit. When the straps are tightened, frequently the bulk will be gathered up or folded over on itself, causing even greater thicknesses and interference with free arm movement.
The present invention provides a personal flotation device for sailboard operators which is capable of being quickly and easily released with one hand, having a hook member adjustable in position for optimum comfort and balance, an inside surface free of straps or portions of straps, and strap arrangements which provide good comfort and support to the wearer. In a preferred embodiment it can also provide side panels free of buoyant material for added comfort and free arm movement.